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To: Commander, SUBRON 4
From: Commanding Officer USS TROUT (SS-202)
Operational Order: July 00/Cycle I
Subject: NARRATIVE Patrol Report July 1943

Rmks. July 02/ 0600 Departed Fremantle. Conducted trim/deep dive and received indoctrination depth charges. Set course and speed for the Malaysia PZ.

Rmks. July 02-10/ Transit time 8 days 26,496 gal fuel used, 73,584gal (73%) remains. Very active air activity , no significant contacts encountered. Conducted Fire, Flooding, and tracking drills in route to PZ.

Rmks. Day 1, 10 July/ 1902-Arrived in PZ, pos. 0-35S, 106-14E. Calm flat seas, clear skies, good visibility. Course 359dT, AAH2/3-9.2kts to position TROUT in the eastern shipping lanes to Singapore. 2030 fog reducing visibility to @2kyds.

Rmks. Day 2, 11 July/ 0010-fog clears, calm seas, bright night. 0532-Course 259dT to close the eastern passage to Singapore, slow to 1/3 partly cloudy skies. 0600-Conduct deep dive to check for thermal layers and at 212ft a significant gradient is found. We spend the next 90min at radar depth getting a feel for the local air activity since this is our first patrol in this area and intense air patrols were noted in other units patrol reports. 0740-Surface and double the lookouts. 1223-change course to 318dT.1422-SD contact 16kyds closing fast, dive to RD. We hold our course and at 1431, SJ contact 13kyds. 1432-sight masts of 2 CL�s. The SD is showing 3 air escorts and the SJ is showing 4 DD�s. 1434-Man battle stations, commence tracking, and working ourselves into a firing position. 1507-after 4 course changes, 200 amps, and a lot of peeking, we setup and launch a five torpedo spread at one CL on course 178dT, 25kts. Depth setting 10ft, 80d port track, 4 second interval, 1900yds, all spread by TDC. #1-dud, #2-hit, #3-miss, #4-dud, #5-dud. Lousy fish! We take TROUT deep and fast under the layer. Sound reports the CL�s steaming back to the east, so we head on course 270dT and commence a 5 tube reload. 1802-sound reports all clear. 1811-surface course 235dT. 2233-SJ contact 13.5kyds. After analyzing we decide the convoy consists of 4-5 ships and 2 escorts ahead, stationed on the port and stbd side of the formation. 2300-seas are too calm and the night is too bright for a surface engagement. Attack from RD. 2305-begin working up a solution and getting into a firing position. We are going to allow the lead ship to pass us by and attack #2, 3, 4 and #5 maru with bow and stern tubes, all fish spread by constant periscope bearings. 2322-We fire tubes 1-4 at # 2 and # 3 Maru, 2 fish each. Range 600yds, 100d port track, 9ft depth setting. One fish from each salvo misses, but one fish from each hits each and does the trick. I swing the scope and get a quick setup on #4 and # 5. Both have sped up, ranges closing fast! #4, a supply ship begins radical course changes, so we ignore him and send 3 fish at #5 maru, a tanker. Range 900yds, 25d port track, depth 10ft. Two of the three miss as the maru turns to port, out of the line of fire, but not quick enough as the last fish plasters it in the stern sending him down. The last stern fish I send at #4, but runs down his port side as he turns hard to stbd, this guy is good! No sense wasting our last fwd fish at him, we head down below the layer in the direction of maru #1, course 345d, AAHFlank. 2330-we head to PD, and at 2340 surface manning the deck gun. 2345-I order the gun crew to commence firing. They do a great job, and after 45rds, fire amidships, and a good firing position off his stbd aft qtr, we fire tube 5 10ft depth, 20d stbd track range 500yds. The fish performs great and send him to the bottom! Still in our radar range is the small freighter, so we take pursuit at 20+kts.

Rmks. Day 3, 12 July/ 0010- the small freighter maru comes into sight as we close the gap. 0045-after 30rds he is burning and settling by the bow fast. After all this action we break NNW for some rest.

Rmks. Day 4, 13 July/ 0000-Calm seas clear skies as we head south to our hunting spot. We remain on the surface. 1229-back in the area,on course 241dT we spot masts on the horizon bearing 260dT, an escort, AKIZUKI class DD. 1241-Man Battle stations, submerge to RD on course 270dT and begin honing the solution. Only one escort for this 7 ship, single file, 10kt convoy, on a clockwise rotation around the group. Evasion should not be too difficult. I decide to allow the lead ship to pass by, and setup on # 2 (large freighter), and # 3 (troop transport). Two fish at #2, depth setting 7ft, 1400yds, 80d stbd track. First hit-dud, second, breaks his back, he�s finished. Then immediately two more are sent at the transport range 1700yds, 70d stbd track. Both MOT hits, both duds! The convoy begins to scatter, but #3 & #4 maintain course and speed, we speed up to 2/3. 1311-two fish are sent from the stern tubes at #3, range 1000yds, 40d stbd track same at #4(supply ship). All four fish miss as both maru�s turn to port, and the tin fish zing down their stbd side! All other maru�s out of range of our last 2 fwd fish I decide to take on the DD. To get his attention I order TROUT broached. This works so well he send a few rds in our direction. Back at RD he is charging with a bone in his teeth shooting at our position. Finally, I send the fish at him spread by swinging the ship. This puts him at a serious disadvantage, but Newport R.I. must be on their side, both are duds! Crash dive to 300ft rig for depth charge, come left 30 degrees! The charges fall well astern, and at 1323 we make our getaway at AAHSTD 270dT. 1730-All clear by sound and SJ we surface an start heading home. Torpedo performance is still poor. The large number of misses was not due to poor solutions, but aggressive Maru captains. The Japanese have definitely improved their evasive plans when under torpedo attack.

Return to port:� 22 July 1943

TDC:� MANUAL

Damage:� none

Ordnance remaining: 0 Torpedoes, 10 4" Shells

Summary of Torpedo Performance:

 6 Hits w/detonation
 8 Hits-Duds
 5 Premature Detonations
10 Misses

Shipping sunk:

1 Tanker               12,410 tons
1 Standard Merchant    12,970 tons
3 Large Freighter        4550 tons
1 Small Freighter        1590 tons

Total tonnage sunk:� 40,620 tons

Fuel used:� 59%

Length of Patrol:� 17.3 days

Crew performance:� Veteran - Average.

Material condition:� Flawless

Environmental conditions:� Visibility was good, seas calm.

Health and habitability: Crew health and habitability good.

Respectfully submitted:

Frank Kulick Commanding Officer, USS Trout (SS-202)

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